Due to an illness that required a kidney transplant and dialysis, Don found himself more than $45,000 in debt and was forced to take out a second mortgage on his family’s home to pay the costs of his health care. He and his wife struggled to make ends meet for 4 years, until their septic system broke down. Don knew this emergency would cause him to fall behind on his mortgages and confided in a friend about his family’s financial trouble. His friend told him about Home Repair Services.

Don and his wife worked with counselors at Home Repair Services for 5 months to bring their loans current and modify both their first and second mortgages, reducing their monthly payments.

Many families like Don’s live on the edge of stability. One emergency can put them on a path to ruin. Without the assistance of a trained housing counselor, it is likely that one of Don’s mortgages would have been foreclosed, leaving his family homeless. With the help of Home Repair Services and the modifications to his loans, Don is able to retain his home – benefiting not only his family, but his entire neighborhood!

Because strong homeowners build stable communities, Home Repair Services has specialized in post-purchase homeownership services for low-income homeowners since 1979 – creating the opportunity to increase home ownership in Grand Rapids. Heart of West Michigan United Way provides funding for Home Repair Services’ mortgage payment assistance and foreclosure prevention programs.